1974 Nahariya attack
Encyclopedia
The 1974 Nahariya attack was a raid by three Palestinian militants, belonging to the Fatah
militant organization, which took place during the night between the 24th and the 25th of April, 1979. The Palestinian militant squad infiltrated the costal city of Nahariya
in Israel
by sea from Lebanon
.
Three civilians and one Israeli soldier were killed during the event.
The attack was the first time in which militants infiltrated into Israel from Lebanon
by sea.
militant organization, reached the coast of the Israeli city of Nahariya
, using an engine run Zodiac inflatable boat
. The militant squad headed eastward straight into Nahariya. After crossing the Balfour Street, they tried to cross a hedge. The noise they made caught the attention of a teenager who lived nearby. He looked out of the window and spoted them in the light of street lamps and shouted out: "terrorists!". As a result, two patrolling Civil Guard members rushed to the area. When the militants spoted them they threw a hand grenade and fired at them. The Civil Guard responded by firing back at them while taking cover. The time was 23:10. The vigorous action of the Civil Guard members disrupted the terrorists' original plan.
Following the shooting, Nahariya's police officers as well as Israeli regular and reserve officers and soldiers began arriving at the site, surrounding the house in which the militants were stationed at from different directions, preventing them from fleeing the sie.
Residents whom understood they were being attacked by militants locked themselves in their apartments, piled furniture near the doors and took shelter in the inner rooms. Nevertheless, Mordechai Zarnekin who lived on the first floor of the house, feared that the militants would break into his apartment and therefore he tried to rescue his wife, son and daughter by fleeing their apartment from the bedroom window on a rope woven from sheets. After reaching ground, the Zarnekin family began running toward the street, but the militants identified them, shot at them and threw a grenade at them. The fire killed three members of the Zarnekin family. The father whom thought that he saved his family, tried to escape the apartment as well, but was hit by mistake by a bullet fired from the Israeli security forces. The wounded father returned to his apartment where he was hiding until the event ended.
Three civilians and one Israeli soldier were killed during the event. Seven soldiers and one civilian were injured during the event.
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
militant organization, which took place during the night between the 24th and the 25th of April, 1979. The Palestinian militant squad infiltrated the costal city of Nahariya
Nahariya
Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
by sea from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Three civilians and one Israeli soldier were killed during the event.
The attack was the first time in which militants infiltrated into Israel from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
by sea.
Details of the attack
Shortly after 23:00 of 24 June 1974 three Palestinian militants, belonging to the FatahFatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
militant organization, reached the coast of the Israeli city of Nahariya
Nahariya
Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
, using an engine run Zodiac inflatable boat
Inflatable boat
An inflatable boat is a lightweight boat constructed with its sides and bow made of flexible tubes containing pressurised gas. For smaller boats, the floor and hull beneath it is often flexible. On boats longer than , the floor often consists of three to five rigid plywood or aluminium sheets fixed...
. The militant squad headed eastward straight into Nahariya. After crossing the Balfour Street, they tried to cross a hedge. The noise they made caught the attention of a teenager who lived nearby. He looked out of the window and spoted them in the light of street lamps and shouted out: "terrorists!". As a result, two patrolling Civil Guard members rushed to the area. When the militants spoted them they threw a hand grenade and fired at them. The Civil Guard responded by firing back at them while taking cover. The time was 23:10. The vigorous action of the Civil Guard members disrupted the terrorists' original plan.
Following the shooting, Nahariya's police officers as well as Israeli regular and reserve officers and soldiers began arriving at the site, surrounding the house in which the militants were stationed at from different directions, preventing them from fleeing the sie.
Residents whom understood they were being attacked by militants locked themselves in their apartments, piled furniture near the doors and took shelter in the inner rooms. Nevertheless, Mordechai Zarnekin who lived on the first floor of the house, feared that the militants would break into his apartment and therefore he tried to rescue his wife, son and daughter by fleeing their apartment from the bedroom window on a rope woven from sheets. After reaching ground, the Zarnekin family began running toward the street, but the militants identified them, shot at them and threw a grenade at them. The fire killed three members of the Zarnekin family. The father whom thought that he saved his family, tried to escape the apartment as well, but was hit by mistake by a bullet fired from the Israeli security forces. The wounded father returned to his apartment where he was hiding until the event ended.
Takeover operation
The takeover operation on the house began at 2:10am. At 2:25 while attempting to open a door, several shots were fired and three grenades were thrown out of the room. The shots and the grenades shrapnel killed an Israeli soldier and wounded five soldiers. One of the militants who was also seriously injured attempted to crawl out onto the roof, was identified by the commander of the commando unit in charge of the takeover, charged at him and killed him. The takeover operation ended officially at 03:20am.Three civilians and one Israeli soldier were killed during the event. Seven soldiers and one civilian were injured during the event.